


we're making headlines

by virotutis



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different Mastermind (Dangan Ronpa), Game Spoilers, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mastermind Saihara Shuichi, Non-Chronological, Social Media, like seriously dont read it unless you know what the big trial six twist is, more specifically its implied child neglect, tags will be updated as they apply
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-25 12:02:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12530892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/virotutis/pseuds/virotutis
Summary: "Imagination and fiction make up more than three quarters of our real life." - Simone Weil.The making of one Saihara Shuichi.





	we're making headlines

**Author's Note:**

> warnings for major ndrv3 spoilers!!!  
> this fic is like 100% experimental and completely self-indulgent so dont expect too much ok. contact me if you have questions/comments/complaints/whatever?
> 
> tumblr: [hotsuins](http://hotsuins.tumblr.com)  
> twitter: [dragonstreams](http://twitter.com/dragonstreams)

**Danganronpa**

[image]

_TV-MA | 49min |_ _Action_ _,_ _Crime_ _,_ _Drama_ _,_ _Mystery_ _,_ _Thriller_ _|_ _TV Series (2XXX–)_

**_9.6_** _/10_ _Rating Details_ _5,029,542 Ratings_ _1,938,495 Reviews_

_TV Episode Guide_

 

_The long-running murder-mystery series continues! Sixteen talented high school students, all at the top of their fields, are locked together in a school and forced to take part in a sadistic killing game…_ _more _

 

Creators: ███████ ███████,███████ ███████, Team _Danganronpa._

Links to Cast by Seasons: Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, Season 4, Season 5… _more_

 

.

 

“Saihara,” the man in front of him said before he placed down a folder in front of him. He didn’t know the man’s name, but he had messy brown hair and a kind face. One creased with laughter lines and crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes. “Saihara Shuichi.”

There had been no introductions between them and no need for any. By the end of the month, he wouldn’t be able to remember it anymore anyway. He took in a deep breath and reached for the folder.

He opened it up, turning to the first page. A photo of his own face peered up at him with a nervous grin, paired with a name he didn’t know and a long, detailed section about a life he never lived. His actual name is nowhere on the page.

He stared at the new name, taking in the kanji. 最原 終. Saihara Shuichi. Conspicuous wilderness and last one. The man watched him quietly and smiled.

“That’ll be the name of your character. He’s an Ultimate Detective like you said you preferred. Are you fine with it, Saihara-kun?”

Shuichi smiled back. He took in the kanji of the name one more time before he returned the folder to the man. There wasn’t a point to reading it. Team _Danganronpa_ would be placing fake memories into his head anyway.

“Yes. It’s perfect. Thank you.”

“Good. I’m glad.” The man paused and let out a soft chuckle as he shook his head. “You know you’re going to be breaking trends and subverting so many expectations, right?”

Shuichi’s smile grew, and he felt giddy. “I know.”

“First Detective to be a Mastermind…” The man laughed again before he turned to leave the room. “Really, you’re certainly going to make this an interesting season.”

 

.

 

**_yu~zu!_ **

_  
AAAAAA_

_ITS HIM!!!!_

_ITS HAT GUY_

[image]

_i cant believe htis?/?? like holy fukicng  shit!!1_

_HES_ _GOING TO BE ON DR???_  

**_akira._ **

_  
i told you to not msg me while im at work :(_

_youre lucky my boss isnt here rn!_

_is that from the new promo?_

_who is that supposed to be?_

_he looks kind of familiar do we know him or something_

**_yu~zu!_ **

_  
dude!!!! come on!!_

_its ██████-kun!!_

_hes in your class??_

_hes the one that sits in the library during breaks and either reads or is on his phone?_

_and he only really ever responds when the conversation is about dr?_

**_akira.  
_ **

_you know im shit with names okay_

_its one of my endearing character flaws_

******_yu~zu!_**  
  
_endearing???!_

_LOLOL_

_**akira.**  
_

_ssssshut uppp_

_hes always wearing that stupid hat and hiding his face alright_

_how should i know what he looks like?_

**_yu~zu!  
_ **

_hes in your class you fuck!!!  
_

_you see him every single day!!!!!  
_

_dont judge but._

_hes actually kind of super cute without the hat  
_

_hes got a good face  
_

**_akira.  
_ **

_Dude_

_the guy is kind of creepy..._

_shit boss is back ill talk w u later okay_

******_yu~zu!_**

_i told you nto to judge okay!!!  
_

_bye!  
_

.

 

Within the first hour of the new promo site recruiting for the fifty-third season of _Danganronpa_ getting posted online, he already had the application forms completely filled out. Each answer had been carefully written in black ink, and each kanji was perfectly printed.

The permission waivers had been taken care of by his uncle, who didn’t spare a single glance to read them over before he signed them, and money for postage came out of the man’s wallet after he passed out drunk on their couch.

It wasn’t the first time he tried applying for _Danganronpa_. That had been when he was fourteen and Team _Danganronpa_ had sent his application back within the week, unopened with _REJECTED_ stamped on envelope in smeared, bright red ink.

He was disappointed beyond words and absolutely heartbroken when he saw it, but he wouldn’t let himself give up. He had applied for every single season since he entered high school, and he’d keep applying until they finally accepted him.

He refused to give up hope. He had snuck out of the apartment at three in the morning to slip the envelope into the mailbox to be sent out, giddy and lightheaded with anticipation and nauseous with anxiety.

The next three days had him stuck on that roller coaster of emotion, flipping between hope and disappointment as he thought and obsessed over the same questions over and over. Would he be accepted this time? Would people enjoy him on the show?

He jotted down ideas for murder plans during classes to distract himself and daydreamt about what his execution would be like while on the train home. It was something he had been thinking about for years, but could never actually figure out.

He wanted it to be something dramatic, he knew. Something that was a big and eye-catching spectacle that people would remember and talk about for years and feature in “Most Memorable _Danganronpa_ Deaths and Executions!” compilation videos that racked up millions of views online.

His ideal execution was something that no one could look away from. Something that caught their interest and held it with an iron grip and made their hearts pound and their heads race, something that was quintessential to the very nature of _Danganronpa_.

A mixture of intrigue, mystery, and endless entertainment spun together like fine silk as the absurd and fantastic danced together with logic and cold reality, leaving you breathless and on the edge of your seat for more.

He could only hope and pray that he could become part of that experience for the people watching. Would the real him like the character he’d become that the writers for Team _Danganronpa_ would come up with?

There was no way for him to know the answer to that question.

Being accepted for _Danganronpa_ was tantamount to suicide, after all. He knew enough from forum posts. Even if the physical body still managed to survive to the end of the games, there was no way for the original personality and mind to be restored.

After Team _Danganronpa_ got through with him, there wouldn’t be any traces of the him as of now left. All that would remain of his existence would be a handful of social media accounts for a personality that he wouldn’t remember and legal documents printed with a name that he would discard.

No matter how you put it, the end result was the same; he would not be coming out of this game. He pulled down the bill of his hat and kept brainstorming.

 

.

 

The first time he saw an episode of _Danganronpa_ , he was nine years old.

That night he had been home alone, flipping through the channels on television as he waited for his uncle to come home from work. His uncle’s portion of dinner sat on the kitchen table, covered with plastic wrap, and grew cold as the sun steadily sunk and the moon crept up on the horizon.

He clutched his blanket even closer to himself and tried his best to avoid staring at the clock. He turned his eyes to the images on the television instead and increased the volume to cover up the sound of the ticking clock that echoed through the living room.

When the lead actress in the drama reconciled with her mother and embraced her, he held down the next channel button until he found something more interesting.

And what he had stumbled upon had changed his life, really.

It was a stream of _Danganronpa_ ’s current season, currently in the middle of its fifth trial. He hadn’t known anything about anyone on the show, but he had let go of the button when he saw an animatronic bear with a cheerful grin juxtaposed with five fearful but ultimately determined faces.

He blinked curiously, and hadn’t known what to expect to see as the five individuals filed into what looked like a courtroom. He kept watching though, wondering around the eleven empty stands topped with black and white pictures crossed out with X’s meant.

Then the trial started, and he had watched it unfold in its entirety with his mouth wide open. Every member of the cast had begun to push at each other, throwing around accusations and theories until something finally stuck and made sense, and he had never been so interested in something before.

There had been no chance whatsoever to take a breather. The debate didn’t pause for a second, continuing on and on and someone else picked up where another left off. As the trial began to reach its peak, tensions running high between the five remaining survivors, he had begun to tremble.

His heart fluttered and jumped in his chest with every new argument brought into discussion, and he had cheered at every successful and logical rebuttal made. The drama made his heart race and his head spin, and he couldn’t get enough.

Then, when a teenage boy with dark messy hair that the bear called the Ultimate Detective began to calmly and efficiently break down and explain the entire case with a triumphant and smug smirk on his face, he had officially fallen in love.

The culprit’s execution made him flinch and grimace, tears welling up in his eyes, but he just couldn’t look away. He watched bones get crushed by metal and ground to dust as a teenage killer screamed and howled for help without blinking, catchy techno music blaring through the speakers.

He didn’t look away, not until the trial was finished and he heard the sounds of his uncle’s keys turning the lock on the front door. He hadn’t once looked at the clock the whole time.

 

**.**

 

**Danganronpa Message Board X/X/XXXX**

 

_Anonymous User 12262015_

New promos for the new season are up now!!

Names haven’t been revealed yet but Amami’s confirmed to be back and he’s the Ultimate Survivor this time around. Hope he gets to win lmao.

_  
Anonymous User 12262153_

I want Twintails and the maid to step on me...

 

_Anonymous User 12242162_

Same tbh but save it for the NSFW board dude. -_-

I’m probably going to root for hat boy or scarf boy to survive. They’re both cute and my type. 

 

_Anonymous User 12275114_

Lmaao omg didn’t realize that your type’s twinks.

I’m a fan of the long-haired buff glasses guy. Mmm those muscles...

_  
Anonymous User 12242162_

I won’t deny it. It’d be nice if hat boy actually took it off at some point so we could get a good look at his face.

   
_Anonymous User 12251624_

INB4 your hat boy’s actually the season’s mastermind and intentionally uses that hat to hide his face on purpose

 

_Anonymous User 12275114_

As if. My money’s on Twintails or Bondage Blondie. Hat kid looks like he’d pass out at the sight of blood. Def gonna be first victim, for sure.

   
_Anonymous User 12262153_

I’ll second that lmao. Fuck, I’ll even pay you if you’re right.

 

_Anonymous User 12251624_

Receipt screenshotted and saved. I’ll be expecting money before the start of next season


End file.
